More bad news for travellers between Salisbury and Exeter

[whole diary]

[bradshaw]

SERUG have just emailed their member to inform then of the restoration of the normal timetable will take place from Monday 14 November. NR^» (Network Rail - home page) Southern Region have also announvpced closure dates for engineering improvements

   NETWORK RAIL SOUTHERN REGION

WEST OF ENGLAND LINE

26 October 2022

Dear Stakeholders

_Lifting speed restrictions on the West of England line _

As you will be aware, speed restrictions of 40mph were brought in this
summer at locations near Tisbury, Gillingham and Axminster, as the
clay-based track bed shrank in the record-breaking hot and dry summer,
leaving the rails uneven and too bumpy for trains to run at full speed.
This caused significant disruption to services in August and required
the introduction of a new temporary timetable between Salisbury and
Exeter from early September.

The cause of the speed restrictions on the line is known as Soil
Moisture Deficit and is caused by largely clay-based soils shrinking in
hot and dry conditions as trees and other vegetation soaks the water
from them. They shrink unevenly, meaning track laid on top loses its
level profile.

Engineers have made good progress in restoring the track levels, helped
by cooler temperatures and regular rain which has stopped the track bed
shrinking. We are now in a position to lift the majority of the speed
restrictions which were imposed, and as a result, South Western Railway
(SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)) plans to restore the regular timetable on the West of England line
from Monday 14 November.

We would like to thank all our stakeholders and passengers for their
patience throughout this period.

Looking Ahead

We wanted to take this opportunity to give you advance notice of a
series of upcoming engineering works within the next 18 months to
improve the railway on the West of England line. Firstly, a nine-day
closure between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction between 10th and 18th
December will allow us to replace track in the Gillingham area.

Making the most of the closure, our engineers will also carry out
station improvements at Gillingham and Sherborne; improve drainage in
the Sherborne, Templecombe and Gillingham areas; perform track
maintenance in the Gillingham and Sherborne areas; and remove graffiti
and clear litter from the line at Salisbury.

Further closures are planned in November/December 2023 and March 2024,
with the Axminster, Crewkerne, Templecombe and Gillingham areas all set
to see improvement works.

We will continue keep stakeholders updated on these works, along with
the associated journey information together with our colleagues at SWR.

Kind regards

Southern Region Stakeholder Team

[JayMac]

Thanks for posting those update details bradshaw. Travelling to and from Templecombe hasn't been much fun for the past few months.

[bradshaw]

Chris Loder mentioned the increased times to the, now previous, Transport Secretary at the recent Select Committee meeting. He was asking the questions that the railway press have been on about for the last few months/years.
Can be viewed here, scroll to around 10.00

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/7747fc01-0153-41f9-8c47-244cfa23d335

[JayMac]

Today, 14th November 2022, the normal timetable has resumed for services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids. There have been some minor delays between Salisbury and Axminster this morning.

[Mark A]

Today, 14th November 2022, the normal timetable has resumed for services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids.

Exeter Central at 5:25pm on Thursday 10th November. The London-bound platform looking suitably busy as a six carriage train hauled itself into the station. Exeter was home to a singular bridge engineer, Bill Harvey, and I was returning from his memorial service.

Checking the photo, the platform's not as full as impressions at the time suggested - though it's busier towards the far end, which might offer clues as to where these homeward bound people are headed. Much of the train as it arrived looked to be already 50% full, with the rear two carriages rather emptier. The station's public spaces good, tidy, busy. Booking office open, & retail in the units at the front of the station.

Exeter Central is a station that must have come nearer than most to a future in which, heading for a train, one would walk along Queen Street, past the former booking hall block, and on crossing the bridge over what was once the frankly terrible connection to St Davids  cast a quick glance at the blocks of flats on Exeter's once extensive station - 'Central' both in name and geographically.

Mark

[paul7575]

Reports of another landslip at Honiton with service curtailed at Axminster for rest of today, it’s on NRES^▸ (National Rail Enquiry Service) but no real info about the severity of the issue.

Paul

[Timmer]

Reports of another landslip at Honiton with service curtailed at Axminster for rest of today, it’s on NRES^▸ (National Rail Enquiry Service) but no real info about the severity of the issue.

Paul

Picture of said landslip on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/NetworkRailWssx/status/1594658009938276354?s=20&t=zVjdJMA49ai1sHp6WhZkVg

[plymothian]

Extremely bad news today.  The last London bound train via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) leaves Exeter at 16.15.  Anyone looking to escape the south west, would have a very circuitous route of changing at Westbury and again at Sailsbury.

[Mark A]

Reports of another landslip at Honiton with service curtailed at Axminster for rest of today, it’s on NRES^▸ (National Rail Enquiry Service) but no real info about the severity of the issue.

Paul

Picture of said landslip on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/NetworkRailWssx/status/1594658009938276354?s=20&t=zVjdJMA49ai1sHp6WhZkVg

And another:

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailWssx/status/1594689852083425280

[AMLAG]

What has been deposited on the Single line seems not be a bank slip but quarry material/crushed stone brought in by lorries ( from a fair distance away) to form the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) Contractors’ site compound and access tracks above and to the London end of Honiton Tunnel.

The NR PR^▸ (Public Relations) ‘Spin’ seems to be a bit misleading.

[bradshaw]

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) now saying line closed to end of service Tuesday 22 Nov
https://twitter.com/sw_help/status/1594792076255830023?s=61&t=RG_ULKq0mfWDLF-FW_yAHA

They have also posted this photo showing the slipped material and it looks like material brought in rather than native rock.
https://twitter.com/networkrailwssx/status/1594762832318431232?s=61&t=RG_ULKq0mfWDLF-FW_yAHA

[PhilWakely]

All credit to SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) as they ran an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) to Honiton in order to run a commuter service from Honiton to Exeter in the path of the usual 1L03 (06:10 Salisbury to Exeter St Davids). Unfortunately, it appears to have encountered problems between Pinhoe and Feniton as the ECS arrived in Honiton some 37 minutes late - but still in time to turn around as 1Z03 (07:52 Honiton to Exeter St Davids).

Sadly, all good intentions seem to have faded as 1Z03 left Honiton some 75 minutes late and ran virtually empty to Exeter.


*** Edit --  Apparently due to a train fault. A six-car went out, but only a 3-car returned! ***

[JayMac]

Honiton Tunnel reopened at 1400 today, with a 20mph ESR^▸ (Emergency Speed Restriction ).

Knock on delays and cancellations, particularly to up services, due to staff and rolling stock displacement. First up service from Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo is due to be the 1625.



Edit. 1L60 1525 EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)-WAT is now starting from Exeter Central. Due to depart nearly an hour late at 1629.

[JayMac]

There will be a further line closure at Honiton this weekend, 26th/27th November, for continuing landslip repairs and planned maintenance.

Train services will run between Axminster and London Waterloo, with buses between Axminster and Exeter.

[AMLAG]

This Sat 26/11 there is also a TRAIN shuttle service from Exeter St D to Honiton and back,
 every two hours first 0731 and last 1737 from St D, calling all stns.

The only passenger trains planned to run SW of Bristol TM^‡(resolve) on Sat 26/11.